Mango Jicama Salsa | Blogger C.L.U.E. Society

Summer is simply flying by. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have had a relatively mild summer.  The weather report is predicting a rather toasty weekend ahead – around a 100 degrees where I live. It is time to plan for preparing foods that are easy and that don’t require a lot of oven time to heat up the house.

Speaking of foods that “beat the heat” that is our theme for this months Blogger C.L.U.E. Society.  This secret society of sorts is a group of really wonderful food bloggers who are assigned a fellow member and need to seek out a recipe on their blog that matches the monthly theme.  Kind of like playing the clue game that we all grew up with and/or still play today.

I was happy to receive Wendy’s blog – A Day in the Life on the Farm.  I always enjoy learning more about the publisher/author of each blog I am assigned.  Wendy and her hubby Frank are retired police officers who decided to trade in the city life for a more serene way of life on the farm.  They raise chickens, belong to a CSA, planted trees and flowers, had her parents live with them until Dad passed and Mom was better off being in a memory care center where she has visitors daily and is quite happy.  Wendy loves to travel, read, entertain, cook, quilt and paint.  Check out her reading list here and here.  A few of her choices were ones we read in our book club including – Gone Girl, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and Behind the Beautiful Forevers. Her hubby frank is a private pilot just like my hubby.

After browsing through her extensive recipe collection, I finally decided on her Mango Salsa since it was simply perfect for this month’s theme – Beat the Heat!  I always like to put my personal signature on a recipe and I simply changed a few of the quantities of the ingredients along with substituting the tomatoes for jicama.  I simply adore the crunch of the jicama and the sweetness of the mango with the punch of onion, cilantro and garlic to round out this divine summer dip.  Thank you Wendy for a tasty and simple summer dip!

Mango Jicama Salsa

2 Mangos, diced small

1 Jalapeno, seeded and minced

½ Red Onion, finely diced
1 Cup Jicama, diced small

4 Cloves of Garlic, minced

¼ Cup of Finely chopped Cilantro

1 Tablespoon Honey

Juice from one Lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl.  Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes to develop the flavors prior to serving.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Asian Watermelon Salad by Lora from Cake Duchess

Beat the Heat Negronis by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Blueberry Icebox Pie by Kate from Kate's Kitchen

Curried Chicken Salad with Cucumbers by Rebekah from Making Miracles

Frozen Cherry Lemonade by Anna from annaDishes

Homemade Gingerale by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Icy Rum Punch from the Islands by Debra from Eliot's Eats

Mango Jicama Salsa by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

No Bake Berry Cheesecake by Christiane from Taking on Magazines

Oreo Cookies n Cream Ice Cream by Heather from girlichef

Peach Ice Cream by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Pecan Brittle by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen

Prosciutto Parmesan Arugula Sandwich by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch

Roasted Tomato Soup by Sue from A Palatable Pastime

Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme

Summertime Fresh Corn Salad by Stacy from Food Lust People Love

Tipsy Palmers by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen

Brie, Bacon and Fig Jam Tarts | Secret Recipe Club

If you have been following my foodie adventures for a while now, you know I absolutely love appetizers.  I take pleasure in a one to two bite delight that is packed with flavor and is full of various textures.  Even when we are at home regardless of the day of the week, enjoying appetizers makes us feel like we are celebrating.

Hubby and I are hooked on a show that airs on the Hallmark Channel called Cedar Cove.  Saturday night was the 2 hour season premier and we could hardly wait to view it.  We actually don’t call it Cedar Cove but rather "the feel good show” since overall it is a happy show with some twists and turns along the way.  We felt the premier deserved an appetizer dinner along with a great bottle of wine. 

For my July Secret Recipe Club match, I was paired with Rhonda who published The Kitchen Witch blog.  She goes by the nickname Giggles and is a blogger, culinarian, photographer and avid motorcycle rider.  She has a blended family with 6 kids and 3 grandchildren and one on the way.  Her eldest daughter had a blog and inspired Rhonda to start one too.  From browsing her blog, she has a great palate of various tastes and recipes and great photography skills.  In fact a few months ago, she was paired with me and chose this recipe to make.

This month is a bit bitter sweet for me.  Almost 4 years to the date, I joined the Secret Recipe Club and it has been a great adventure.  This month, I have decided to make it my last month.  With my busy career, being a DOLE Ambassador, blog commitments and life, my plate is full and unfortunately something had to give.  I thought long and hard about my decision.  This group has some absolutely lovely bloggers and I have enjoyed purusing through their blogs over the years and making some absolutely stunning recipes.  Thank you to Debbi who has been the Group C leader the entire time I have been involved – you have been simply great!

For my last post, I chose a appetizer recipe that simply had my name written all over it.  Rhonda’s Brie, Bacon and Fig in a Fillo Cup simply sang to me.  It is simple yet full of flavor and the presentation will impress your guests.  Hubby and I enjoyed it for our premier of Cedar Cove and enjoyed a Chiarello Family Vineyards  red wine called 2012 Bambino Cabernet Sauvignon.  Thank you Rhonda for a great new appetizer recipe!

Brie, Bacon and Fig Jam Tarts

1 Pkg. Pre-backed Mini Fillo Shells (15)

4 oz. of Brie, rind removed and cut into ¾ inch cubes

6 Slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Balsamic Fig Jam (click here for recipe) or use your favorite store bought variety

Micro-Greens (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place shells on a cookie sheet and fill each one with one piece of brie.  Place in oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until the brie melts.  Remove from oven and add a small dollop of fig jam and sprinkle with bacon on top then garnish with a few micro greens or finely diced chives.

Check out the other recipes for this months blogs by clicking here!

Pecan-Cheddar Coins | Friday Night Bites

Today is my Friday.  I am taking a few extra days off to enjoy the upcoming 4^th of July holiday weekend. It is a time to: de-stress, relax, eat great food, exercise, drink wonderful wine, and spend time with hubby, friends and family.  I know it has been several weeks since the last Friday Night Bites post but I am happy to announce that the series is back.

This week I have the most divine little bites I have had in a long time.  I was inspired to make these from a “thank you” package that arrived at my office a few weeks ago.  I had assisted a friend’s daughter with her job search.  Her daughter was a recent college grad and having a challenge with finding that first real job to kick start her career.  I gave her some advice and connected her with a few of our recruiters in another branch.  Although she found a job on her own, the advice seemed to resonate and I was pleased she found something.  I think her Mom; my friend was ecstatic and sent me some magnificent baked goods from Rustic Bakery.  It was extremely thoughtful and their three cheese coins were out of this world delicious – I knew I had to duplicate them.  I came pretty close with this version and will be testing out new flavors soon.

I pulled a few of my new favorites from our wine cellar to share with all of you.  Hubby and I are partial to cabernets and they go terrific with these rich little cheddar coins.  My new favorites include:  2012Farm Cabernet, 2012 Hall Ellies Cabernet, 2012 Keating Montecello Cabernet and Meyer Family Cellars 2012 Cabernet.  I have each one hyperlinked, so check out their websites to learn more and perhaps even have a few shipped to your house.  Smile.  Cheers to a long, safe and fun holiday weekend!

Pecan-Cheddar Coins

1 1/3 Cup Flour

¾ Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated and packed lightly

½ Cup Parmesan Cheese

1 teaspoon Salt

1/8 teaspoon Cayenne

½ Cup Butter, cut into small pieces

1 large Egg Yolk

2 Tablespoons Water

1/3 Cup Pecans, toasted

Yields about 6 dozen 1 inch coins

Use a food processor and add the flour, pecans, cheese, salt and cayenne.  Pulse until combined.  Add the butter pieces and pulse until the dough resembles coarse crumbs.  Mix the water and egg yolk together, then drizzle over the mixture and pulse until the dough forms.  Remove and kneed together if needed.

Spilt dough into two parts and flatten into two disks.  Wrap each disk seperately in plastic and chill for an hour.  Use a large plastic cutting board and open up the disk and leave the plastic wrap on top of the plastic board.  This will prevent the dough from sticking.  Sprinkle the top with a dusting of flour and roll until ¼ inch thick.  Use a one inch in diameter circle cookie cutter to cut out the coins.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place onto a prepared cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place at least ½ inch apart and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.  Repeat process with the remaining dough until all utilized. Let cool and store in an airtight container. 

Olive Sables | Blogger C.L.U.E. Society

I am thrilled to put my super sleuthing hat on again for this month’s edition of Blogger C.L.U.E. Society.  We are a group of enthusiastic food bloggers who belong to this secret society of sorts where we are assigned another blog in the group and must hunt for a wonderful recipe of our choice that fits the theme for the month.  It is a fun journey that we get to experience each month. 

For June, our theme was Picnic Food, which gives each of us a lot of creative prowess to determine what we would bring on a picnic.  My dream picnic is filled with luscious cured meats, cheeses, French bread, olives, wine and a sweet treat or two.  The idea of having many flavors and taste sensations while being outside on a perfectly warm day is simply divine. 

My assigned blog this month is published by Kathy from Bakeway with Me.  Kathy has an affinity for everything to do with baking and cooking.  She produces mouthwatering delights on her blog and does a great job of telling a story and describing her creations.  I can sense the passion behind the writer and I know if she lived near me, I would be at her house quite often.  After looking through her many recipes, I kept coming back to the Olive Sables for three reasons.  First, I have never had a sable.  Second, this seemed like the perfect addition to my virtual picnic basket and third, the idea of sweet and savory together simply makes me smile.

The original recipe called for potato starch which I have cooked with prior but did not have any on hand.  I clicked into Google – “substitute for potato starch” and corn starch popped right up.  I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up olives for these little delights and thought the combination of green and black would add that extra dimension to the cookie.  I chose a cured black olive and my favorite Castelvetrano Olive.  This little cookie/cracker was simply heaven – so light, flavorful and addictive. 

Olive Sables

Makes about 60 cookies

1 Large Hard Boiled Egg (disregard the white portion)

2 ¼ Cup All-purpose Flour

6 Tablespoons Corn Starch

15 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature

1/3 Cup Olive Oil

1 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar

½ Cup Pitted Olives, chopped

Grate a hard boiled egg yolk onto a piece of wax paper.  Set aside.

Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat the butter on medium speed until it’s soft and creamy.  Beat in the olive oil and scrape down the sides until blended.  Next add the grated egg yolk and mix well.  Blend in the confectioner’s sugar, reduce the speed to low and the flour and cornstarch and mix until incorporated.  Add the chopped olives and quickly mix until incorporated.

Turn the dough onto a work surface and divide in half.  Shape each piece into a log about 1 ½ inches in diameter.  Wrap in plastic and chill for several hours or best overnight.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Work with one log at a time, slice the cookie ¼ inch thick and arrange them on the baking sheet.  Bake the sables for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating at the midway mark or until the cookies are firm but not colored.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool and repeat with remaining dough.

(Almost) Nancy's Chopped Salad w/ Oregano Vinaigrette by Heather from girlichef

Apple Chips by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Barbecue Chicken Salad w/ Smoky Barbecue Vinaigrette by Kate from Kate's Kitchen

California Quinoa Greek Salad;by Christiane from Taking on Magazines

Carrot Cake Cookies by Kathy from Bakeaway with Me

Chicken Salad w/ Peanut Dressing by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch

Chicken Waldorf Salad by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos

Duck with Pear Wraps + Limeade with Chia Seeds by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen

Fried Apple Pies by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Green Bean & Corn Salad by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen

Loaded Baked Potato Salad by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Date Cookies by Rebekah from Making Miracles

Olive Sables by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

Puff Pastry Antipasto Squares by Anna from annaDishes

Smoky Pimento Cheese Spread by Debra from Eliot's Eats

Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Baked Beans + Chickenburger Roll-in-a-Basket by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme

Thomas Keller's Chocolate Chip Cookies by Kim from Liv Life

Tuscan Bean Salad by Stacy from Food Lust People Love

Watermelon Feta Salad by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies

White Bean, Bacon and Rosemary Salad by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Roasted Pepper and Chevre Tartine | Friday Night Bites

Yesterday was a special day in our house.  It was the 1^st birthday for Marty and Stewart who are our fluffy baby Havanese. I adore Martha Stewart and originally wanted a boy and girl, but we were blessed with two brothers, so they became "Marty and Stewart". It is still hard to fathom that we picked them up from SFO back in early August.  How time flies!  I made a special photo of them to celebrate their milestone and wanted to share with all of you.

Speaking of time flying by, it has been a few weeks since I have shared a Friday Night delight with all you.  I absolutely adore a Crostini, bruschetta or tartine – anyway you slice it – it is a 2 to 3bite of crunchy bread with delectable toppings that is perfect for entertaining.  This week I have a grilled tartine with goat cheese (chevre), roasted red bell peppers, capers, garlic and herbs – how can you go wrong with this combination.  The end result was simply stunning and pairs perfectly with a chilled glass of Sancerre.

You might be thinking, what is the darn difference between a Crostini, bruschetta and tartine – glad you asked.  A Crostini means “little toast” in Italian and is an appetizer consisting of a small slice of grilled or toasted bread and toppings. A bruschetta is a starter dish from Italyconsisting of grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with olive oil and salt. You can also top it with tomato, vegetables, beans or cured meats. Finally a Tartine is a French open-faced sandwich, especially one with a rich or fancy spread.  To me, they all have a special place in my heart, I mean stomach. Smile.

Roasted Pepper and Chevre Tartine

Makes 4

4 Slices of French bread

Olive Oil

1 (12 oz) jar of Roasted Red Peppers, drained and sliced thin

4 Garlic Cloves, sliced thin

1 Tablespoon Capers, drained and patted dry

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

4 oz. Chevre (Goat Cheese)

1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme Leaves

2 Tablespoon Flat Leaf Parsley, rough chop

Salt and Pepper

Brush each side of the French bread slices lightly with olive oil.  Preheat a BBQ or grill pan to medium.  Place the slices of bread onto the grill and turn often until each side is golden brown.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the roasted peppers, garlic slices, capers and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix and let sit for one hour to marinade the flavors.

To assemble, spread about 1 to 2 tablespoons of goat cheese on each slice of bread.  Add the desired amount of the red pepper mixture to each one.  Sprinkle the thyme and flat leaf parsley over each one and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Savory Cheddar and Thyme Whole Wheat Mini Biscuits | Friday Night Bites

As many of you know, I relish my Fridays, especially the moment work ends and the weekend begins.  Hubby and I celebrate the launch of the weekend with Friday Night Bites.  A few nibbles, a bottle of wine, good conversation and a time to either chill with our favorite television shows or time with friends.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of hosting three other couples over at our house for Friday Night Bites.  I treasure these hosting opportunities and love opening our house to entertain friends and simply enjoy each others company.  Everyone arrived on time with divine hostess gifts that were completely unexpected and will be cherished.  We are a “shoeless” house and everyone simply kicked them off and we were popping corks on wine bottles within ten minutes – my kind of party.

One of the gals I had met a few weeks prior at an impromptu Friday night gathering at her house.  We got to talking and soon realized that she had recently pinned this recipe and was simply flattered that she had been a fan of my blog for quite sometime.  I write and share recipes here, but with the vast internet, you never know exactly who is enjoying your blog.  Nice to connect with a real live reader, plus she and I had so much in common; it will be great to gather again.

I selected my tried and true appetizer recipes for the soirée and wanted the evening to be fun, stress free and full of laughs and tasty food.  You are probably curious, what did I make?  I decided on a large cheese platter, Parmesan Pecan Dip, Roasted Grape Crostini, Shaved Truffle BrusselsSprout Crostini, Caprese Bites and Chorizo Date & Apricot Bites.  As usual for me, I made too much food, but I never want my guests to go hungry.

The one appetizer that I did not have time to make was these Savory Cheddar and Thyme Whole Wheat Mini Biscuits. I made them with whole wheat flour and they were simply divine.  I actually served them with my Balsamic Fig Jam.  I would recommend serving with your favorite sparkling wine or a crisp Rose. Trust me, you will not be able to stop at eating just one of these. 

Savory Cheddar and Thyme Whole Wheat Mini Biscuits

Yeilds 20 Biscuits

2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Salt

12 Tablespoons Cold Butter

1 Cup White Cheddar Cheese, grated

5 Tablespoons Fresh Thyme Leaves, rough chop

6 Grinds Fresh Pepper

½ Cup Buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cut the cold butter into cubes and add to the dry mixture.  Use your fingers and break up the butter into pea size pieces.  Next add the grated cheese and chopped thyme and mix gently.

In a small bowl, mix the buttermilk and egg together then add to the dry mixture and combine until incorporated.  Lightly knead the dough together and be careful to not over mix.

Sprinkle flour on your work surface and press the dough and press out to be 3/4^th inch thick.  Use a one inch round cookie cutter to cut out the rounds.  Press together dough and repeat process until all dough is used.

Place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each biscuit with the egg wash and top with a few sprinkles of fleur de sel.  Let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes prior to baking.  Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

Pizza Pinwheels | Secret Recipe Club

It is that time again for the secret reveal.  You might be asking yourself, a secret reveal for what?  It is Secret Recipe Club time again.  It just seems like it was the March reveal and here we are in April.  Time is flying by WAY too quickly. 

This month I was matched with Nicole who publishes a blog called PicNic.  Nicole lives in New Zealand and earned a PhD in Neuroscience/Biochemistry.  In addition to be extremely busy with work she loves to bake and cook. She has a wide variety of recipes on her blog which made it challenging to find the one that I would choose for this month.

After browsing through, I found these Pizza Pinwheels which caught my attention since my hubby would adore them.  He is fascinated with Totino’s Pizza Rolls and thought this would be a nice change for him.  It uses puff pastry which makes everything simply wonderful and extra special.  I switched it up to use garlic powder, four kinds of cheese and pepperoni and the result was simply divine.

While making these bite sized delights I could not help but think about my bucket list to travel to New Zealand and Australiasomeday soon.  I can only imagine how beautiful these two countries are and can hardly wait to explore them.  I am a Bravo TV fanatic and I am currently obsessed with The Real Housewives of Melbourne.  I am fascinated to see how they live, which is probably not the norm for everyone else, but albeit quite entertaining.  Chyka is my favorite and I am enamored with her blog. 

Thank you Nicole for the sublime appetizer recipe and inspiration - Cheese to you!

Pizza Pinwheels

Makes 32

2 Sheets Puff Pastry

1 6 oz. Can of Tomato Paste

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Dried Oregano

5 Oz. Pepperoni, diced small

2 ½ Cup Shredded Cheese* (Asiago, Parmesan, Fontina and Provolone)

Thraw the puff pastry.  Lay onto a large board and roll out with a rolling pin slightly.  Divide the tomato paste evenly between the two sheets and spread to cover.  Sprinkle half of the garlic powder and oregano on each sheet.  Divide the pepperoni among both sheets and along with half of the cheese on each.

Roll each sheet as tight as possible and wrap seperately in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Use a serrated knife to cut ½ slices from each roll.  Lay onto a cookie sheet with each pinwheel at least 1 inch apart.  Cook for 15 minutes until golden brown.  Let cool for one minute and serve.

*I used the Quattro Formagio blend from Trader Joe's

To view everyone's choices for April, simply click the link below:
April's selections for Secret Recipe Club

Chorizo, Medjool Date and Apricot Bites | Friday Night Bites

The weekend is around the corner and you know what that means – it is Friday Night Bite time.  Oh how I simply adore the weekends – don’t you agree?  By the time the work week comes to an end on Friday, I am so ready to simply unwind with a great bottle of wine and tasty appetizers.

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This week I have a scrumptious appetizer that is simple to make that will have your mouth singing.  I came across this recipe several months ago and pinned it for later.  Later came and then it was the moment of truth – I had to make it. Of course I had to put my own twist on the original recipe. I have always had a love affair for puff pastry – I mean what is there not to love about butter and flour combined together to create a bite a heaven.  One of my bucket list items is to make puff pastry from scratch versus the frozen version.  Don’t hear me wrong, the frozen kind is really good, but the sense of accomplishment is what I am going after.

With this one bite delight of chorizo, medjool dates and dried apricots nestled inside a puff pastry cavern, you will reach for the next bite quickly after swallowing your first one.  It will transport you to Spainto an Andalusian tavern or tapas bar. The beauty of this appetizer is that it is simple, flavorful and the filling can be made ahead and reheated. I would suggest making the puff pasty cups close to serving time to keep the ultimate crispy texture.

You might be wondering what type of wine should I be pairing with these – I have just the answer. With chorizo, I will admit to wobbly knees with a great Spanish Rioja, Jumilla, or Priorat, made from Tempranillo, Monastrell, and/or Garnacha. The deep red and black fruit flavors of these wines, plus the hint of balsamic, curry, and fennel notes help this simple appetizer sing. Other Iberian wines such as those coming from Portugal's Dao or Alentejo are also delightful.

Chorizo, Medjool Date and Apricot Bites

Makes 16

1 Sheet of puff pastry

1 pound of Fresh Chorizo Sausage

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

6 large Medjool Dates, pitted and diced small

¼ Cup Chopped Dried Apricots

½ Cup Toasted Pine Nuts

1 Tablespoon Minced Flat Leaf Parsley (for garnish)

Flaky Sea Salt (for garnish)

1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water

To prepare the puff pastry, let the sheet defrost and place on a cutting board.  Use a 2 inch round cutter to cut 16 rounds.  Place onto a non-stick cookie sheet.  Use a 1 ½ inch round cutter and place in the center of each round and gently press to make an indent of another circle. This will aide in removing the center to make way for the filling.  Mix the egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of water in a small bowl.  Using a pastry brush – brush each pasty round with the mixture.  For best results, place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes then bake.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove and let cool.  Gentle remove the center portion to expose the open center where the chorizo filling will go.

To make the filling, add the chorizo and cook over medium heat until thoroughly cooked.  Drain any extra fat dripping.  Add the diced dates and apricots and cook for another 2 minutes then add the smoked paprika and cook for one more minutes.  Add the toasted pine nuts and stir.  Divide the filling into the baked puff pastry shells and garnish with the sprinkle of the flat leaf parsley and flaky sea salt.

Chili Parmesan Popcorn | Secret Recipe Club

It feels like spring is here in the Bay Area. Our temperatures hit the mid 80’s on Saturday and it was certainly flip flop weather.  I know a lot of the country is experiencing extreme weather conditions whether it is rain, snow or cold AND we need rain so desperately. It got me excited that spring and summer are simply around the corner.  It is Secret Recipe Club reveal time again – can’t believe how fast a month goes.

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This month I was assigned Nayna’s blog Simply Sensational Food and she lives in one of my favorite European countries – England.  She started her blog in 2008 as a way to showcase her recipes and deems herself a home cook.  She actually has two cookbooks on her blog that you can purchase – congratulations! She specializes in vegetarian delights. I have been to Englandabout six times and always go to high tea when I am there along with seeing new sites.  We typically will stay at a flat in either Mayfair or Queens Gate area since it lets you live among the locals and the tube stations are easy jaunts to get anywhere you want to go.

One of my fondest memories of traveling to Englandwas with my hubby and parents.  We were fortunate enough to take one of the last Concorde trips from New York to London.  It was a bucket list item for sure.  The trip took about 3 hours and 10 minutes and we traveled almost two and half times the speed of sound.  Although we went super sonic speeds, it felt like a normal flight.  Everyone was treated like a first class passenger with being served the finest wines, outstanding food on fine china, a cheese course and 20 year old ports along with glasses of champagne.  It is unfortunate that this super sonic airliner is no longer in business – such a magnificent way to travel to Europe!

After perusing Nayna’s blog for quite sometime, I finally settled on her Chili Popcorn.  I am a popcorn fanatic and was completely in the mood for it, when I stumbled upon her recipe.  She created her own chili oil where as I simply purchased it from the Asian isle at Safeway.  I adore popcorn that is popped over the stove and adorned with butter and parmesan cheese for that added richness.  Thank you Nayna for the inspiration!

Chili Parmesan Popcorn

Popcorn

3 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

1 teaspoon Chili Oil

½ Cup White Corn Kernels

Chili Butter

4 Tablespoon Salted Butter

2 teaspoons Chili Oil (use less if too spicy)

Melt butter over low heat and stir in the chili oil.

Additions

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Use a large pot with a lid to make the popcorn.  Add the vegetable and chili oil to the pan and heat on high.  Add one kernel to the oil and once it pops, lower the heat to medium high and add the other kernels.  Place the lid on top of the pot and shake frequently until all kernels pop.  Add to a large paper bag and toss with ½ teaspoon of sea salt and toss with the chili butter until well coated.  Add ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese and toss.  Let cool and serve.

To check out other Secret Recipe Club recipes for March, click here

    

   

Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Tartines | Friday Night Bites

Friday Nights mean the work week has officially ended and the weekend has begun.  Hubby and I have a tradition of kicking it off with our Friday Night Bites weekly celebration ritual.  A tasty snack or two along with a great bottle of wine marks the official kick off.  Typically it is just the two of us, but often friends will join in the celebration.

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Often I will make ahead our tasty bite but there will be many times, where I will simply whip it up when I get home from the office.  This week, I have created a supreme delight that is both easy and stunningly beautiful to the naked eye.  I would encourage you to make the garlic aioli a day before, since that is the lengthy endeavor in this recipe. 

The smokiness of charred bread along with the bacon and creamy avocado is a bite full of pure heaven.  Be sure to add salt and pepper to bring out the flavor and complete this French open-faced sandwich.  Traditionally a tartine has a decadent or elaborate topping.  In this case, the garlic aioli is the rich topping and the avocado and bacon adorn this spreadable goodness.

The tartine possibilities are endless.  I think my next tartine is going to have a melody of wild mushrooms with goat cheese.  Oh but then I could do a sautéed Brusselssprouts with parmesan cheese spread and bits of roasted garlic.  My mind is simply spinning right now with a boundless realm of possibilities.  I think tartines will make a regular appearance to my weekly Friday Night Bites series.  What flavor(s) would you like to see next?

Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Tartines

Garlic Aioli

1 head of garlic

2 teaspoon of olive oil

¼ Cup Mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut the head of garlic at the top revealing the ¾ of the garlic.  Tear a large piece of aluminum foil and place garlic in the center.  Drizzle the cut portion of the garlic with the olive oil.  Gently pull up the sides of the foil and cinch together to close the foil.  Cook in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until garlic is soft.  Remove from oven and open to let cool for 15 minutes. 

With a knife, gently remove the pieces of garlic.  Add eight the heads of roasted garlic to a small bowl and mash with a spoon until smooth.  Add the mayonnaise and mix well.  Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Tartines

4 Slices Sourdough or Country Bread

2 Roma Tomatoes, sliced

8 Thin Slices of Bacon, cooked

1 Avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced thinly

Salt and pepper

Brush each side of the sliced bread with a touch of olive oil and grill until medium char marks appear.  Remove and let cool.  Spread a tablespoon of the garlic aioli on each slice of grilled bread.  Top each one with a few tomato slices, then with the avocado slices and season with salt and pepper.  Lastly garnish with the bacon and serve.